Unseasonably cold temperatures and heavy snowfall last week in the Provence and Perpignan areas are affecting availability of some winter vegetable and salad lines.
Norman Heyes, a director at importer Planet Produce said: “Broad leaf spinach has been particularly badly hit while baby vegetables and speciality lettuce such as oakleaf, endive, lollo biondo and lollo rosso have also been affected. Even though they are grown under cover, the cold temperatures have really held growth back and affected condition and weight.”
Heyes is hopeful that the situation will improve soon as temperatures this week have risen to near normal levels. Spinach orders have been impossible to fulfil and although Heyes reports that supplies of the lettuce lines have continued, pricing is an issue. He said: “We have kept going on lettuce but the difficulties are reflected in the high prices. It is a double whammy this year with low sterling and while it is not abnormal to have weather related problems at this time of year, it has been more severe than usual.”
Most of Europe’s Mediterranean growing areas are affected so alternative supplies from Spain and Italy have been hard to come by. Winter vegetable production in Brittany has also been struck and ground has frozen hindering cauliflower and leek production.
Suppliers are in some cases offering alternative leaves to customers. John Piper at specialist catering supplier and importer Oakleaf European said: “We have been working escarole and winter coarse frisée as they withstand their cold weather better. We work with a lot of artisan growers and we have managed to keep supplies going. But judging by the calls we are getting from some of our competitors asking us for product, they are finding it harder to meet their orders.”
